The terror suspect Daniel Khalife has been arrested on the fourth day of a manhunt after he escaped from HMP Wandsworth, the Metropolitan Police said.
The 21-year-old was arrested just before 11am on Saturday in Chiswick, west London, and is now in police custody, the force said.
It added: “We would like to thank the public and media for their support throughout our investigation to locate Khalife, and we will provide a further update on his arrest in due course.”
Officers had been searching the area earlier on Saturday after confirmed sightings of the fugitive.
The former soldier is believed to have escaped from HMP Wandsworth on Wednesday morning by strapping himself to the bottom of a delivery lorry after leaving the prison kitchen in a cook’s uniform.
Follow the latest developments below.
01:17 PM BST
Watch: Footage of van Khalife is believed to have escaped on
01:15 PM BST
Khalife ‘should have been in high-security jail’
Terror suspect Daniel Khalife should have been in a high-security category A jail over his espionage charge, says a senior adviser to the Government on terrorism, writes Charles Hymas.
Jonathan Hall, KC, the UK’s independent reviewer of terrorism law, questioned why former soldier Khalife, 21, was placed in HMP Wandsworth, a category B prison in south London, after being charged with a crime against the state as a potential spy for Iran.
Alex Chalk, the Justice Secretary, has ordered a report into whether the security level of Khalife had been correctly categorised to place him in category B prison rather than category A, such as Belmarsh high security prison in south-east London.
Mr Hall said that unlike many other terrorists, anyone charged with espionage could have access to a network of supporters allied to a hostile state.
01:08 PM BST
Justice Secretary: No stone will be left unturned
Alex Chalk, the Justice Secretary, has said he will leave “no stone unturned” in the investigation into how Khalife escaped from prison
He said: “I would like to thank the police and partners for their comprehensive efforts over recent days. I am also grateful to staff across HMPPS (HM Prison and Probation Service) for their continued focus and professionalism.
“With Daniel Khalife now in custody, the legal process must be allowed to take its course. Nothing should be said or done to prejudice any future trial.
“The investigations I requested into prison security and categorisation are well in train, and I will leave no stone unturned in getting to the bottom of how this serious breach was possible.”
12:55 PM BST
Pictured: Police at Chiswick House & Gardens
12:37 PM BST
Labour demands answers over Khalife’s escape
Labour has demanded answers from the Government following Khalife’s arrest.
Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, wrote on social media: “Thank you to all the police & intelligence teams involved in the search and arrest of Daniel Khalife – very welcome news he has now been caught.
“Now we need answers about how on earth a prisoner charged with terror & national security offences could have escaped in this way.”
12:35 PM BST
How Khalife pulled off the great escape from HMP Wandsworth
It was just after 7am on Wednesday when a Bidfood lorry pulled up to the gates of HMP Wandsworth in south London on its regular delivery route, writes Martin Evans.
After completing the usual security checks, the wagon containing fresh foodstuffs passed through the two sets of gates into the so-called sterile area near the prison kitchens.
As the driver unloaded his delivery, inmates from the Victorian prison were filing in and out of the canteen for the busy breakfast serving.
At the same time, one of the remand prisoners, who held a privileged chef’s position in the kitchens, slipped unnoticed past the guards and made his way towards the van.
Perhaps pretending to be lending a hand with the delivery, Daniel Khalife climbed underneath the van. Using a set of heavy duty straps he attached himself to the underside of the vehicle and clung on waiting for the driver to return.
12:29 PM BST
Pictured: Police in grounds of Chiswick House & Gardens
12:27 PM BST
Armed officers, police dogs and patrol boats involved in search
Officers had been searching Chiswick earlier on Saturday after confirmed sightings of Khalife in the area – stopping and checking cars, inspecting car boots and asking residents for their IDs.
Armed officers and police dogs were in the area, while a police boat could be seen on the River Thames close to the roads.
The Met Police announced on Friday a £20,000 reward for anyone with information that leads to the arrest of the former soldier, who was awaiting trial after allegedly planting a fake bomb at an RAF base and gathering information that might be useful to terrorists or enemies of the UK.
12:15 PM BST
Pictured: Police helicopter route over London on Friday night
12:08 PM BST
Rishi Sunak ‘very pleased’ by arrest
Rishi Sunak said he is “very pleased” that Khalife has been arrested, as he praised efforts by the police and the public in finding him.
Speaking at the G20 summit in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said: “I’m very pleased with the news and my thanks to the police officers for their fantastic work over the past couple of days, but also to the public who came forward with an enormous number of leads to help the police in their inquiries.
“It’s good news that we captured the person concerned. As people already know, the Justice Secretary has initiated an inquiry into the circumstances of his escape and that work will continue.
“And this is obviously very welcome news. And again, my thanks to the police but also to the public for their help.”
12:01 PM BST
Pictured: Police in Chiswick
11:58 AM BST
‘The police were checking everybody’s gardens’
Paul Wade, a Chiswick resident, opened his curtains to find five police officers outside his home on Saturday morning as part of the search for Khalife.
He said: “They said ‘I expect you know why we are here.’
“They were checking everybody’s gardens. Our neighbour told us there were sniffer dogs.
“As we understand it, they just clambered over the walls and inspected, they didn’t wake everybody up. They just checked. They had helicopters above.”
11:57 AM BST
‘Great work by the Met Police’
Chris Philp, the Home Office minister, congratulated the police for their “rapid and effective” work to apprehend Khalife.
The policing minister wrote on social media: “Great work by the Met Police. Well done for a rapid and effective piece of work to catch this fugitive.
“An example of policing at its best. Congratulations to all Officers involved in this operation.”
11:56 AM BST
Welcome to our coverage of Daniel Khalife’s arrest
Daniel Khalife has been found and arrested on the fourth day of a manhunt after he escaped from HMP Wandsworth, the Metropolitan Police said.
The 21-year-old was arrested just before 11am on Saturday in Chiswick, west London, and is now in police custody, the force said.